The impact of the Affordable Care Act, climbing obesity rates and social capital are some of the key topics from the 2015 Southeastern Pennsylvania Household Health Survey conducted by PHMC’s Community Health Data Base (CHDB). The survey is the most comprehensive health survey in the region and the largest in the country, covering 10,000 randomly selected households in Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, and Philadelphia counties.

The 2015 data features 14 new topic areas, including information on the Affordable Care Act, HIV testing, and use of e-cigarettes and vaporizers. Key findings include:

Access to care: While the number of individuals without health insurance has dropped from 12.4% in 2012 to 8.5% in 2015, cost remains a huge barrier to entry for many in the region. With or without insurance, more than 10 percent of adults were sick at some point this year but did not seek care due to the cost.

Obesity: Nearly 30 percent of adults in the region are obese, an increase from 27.7 percent in 2012 and 21 percent in 2000.

Social capital: In Southeastern Pennsylvania, Chester County reported the highest levels of social capital and Philadelphia County the lowest. Social capital questions can provide useful insights into the health of a community, especially when measured against other indicators such as obesity.

Read the full press release and check out this infographic to learn more. For information about the CHDB, contact Francine Axler, CHDB Director, at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..